Confessions time. I've reviewed various restaurants, attractions, bars etc on Trip Advisor. I try and be factual, concise and point out both pros and cons (where applicable) to try and give the reader an accurate idea of what to expect. Well, after a hotel in Blackpool tried to charge a punter £100 for a lousy review, (since rescinded, I understand) the Guardian has put together a compilation of the worst of the worst reviews. Some of these are utterly priceless "Sitting by the pool, we got spewed on" for starters Enjoy. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/h...ws-biggest-controversies-and-best-spoofs.html
Some childish people make fake ones for amusement like a Mr G Holt "gay friendly nosh" If you read the replies to the genuine ones you can see why this happens. http://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/ShowUs...aurant-Glasgow_Scotland.html#CHECK_RATES_CONT
As they have a delay period before publishing each review (for moderation purposes) I'm amazed that one slipped through the net?
I often take reviews on just about any website with a pinch of salt these days, as I know quite a number of 'owners' make payments for good reviews for their products/hotels/restaurants etc How do I know? - I have been asked to do them! - especially on Amazon.com .....while others are happy to pay to discredit a competitor (as per OP's example). How do I know? - I have been asked to do these as well!.
If you saw the programme on Channel 4 about 12 months ago on Tripadvisor you would realise that you have to take a lot of the reviews with a large sack of salt. The man who slated a Hotel in a terrible review when his only gripe was that he had to sleep with the curtains open and the moon was too bright!! The woman who slated a seafood restaurant about her meal and then openly admitted that she hated seafood with a vengeance, had only gone to keep her husband happy and had written her review before she went. The chap who visited a B&B twice , slated it twice on the grounds of cleanliness to such an extent that it went out of business and in the programme admitted that the first time he found a bit of dust on the underside of the bed frame, the second time it was a bit of dust on the back of a set of drawers, he accepted that he was getting treatment because he was a cleanliness fanatic and because of that he had never written a favourable review on any property. I also understand that it is common practice for people to ask for money back on their bill otherwise they will write an unjustified unfavourable review.
I have a holiday let.One old girl complained that the decor was too plain and needed "A splash of colour".Only two of 15 reviews awarded me less than 5stars (both 3)The other one complained the kitchen sink smelled,it didn't.The woman who came from the Tourist Board advised me to never try for five star rating.She said people who booked those merely look to find fault. I note the Blackpool one charged £36 for a double room.Maybe they need to stump up a little more.
The concept of Trip Advisor is great but you do tend to get the extreme views and not always constructive.
Cracking one on R4 News Quiz.The hotel in Blackpool had a waiter who swigged Strongbow from a can as her served breakfast.
